1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication system such as a cellular wireless communication system, more particularly a communication system capable of efficiently distributing advertisements and other information to users of a large number of terminals accommodated in the system, a communication terminal for the same, and an information distribution apparatus suitably used in such a communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a broadcast system, one broadcast station distributes information to a large number of receiving stations at one time, so efficient distribution of advertisements is possible. Many broadcast systems distribute advertisements.
A typical form of distribution of an advertisement in an ordinary broadcast system is shown in FIG. 9.
As shown in FIG. 9, a broadcast system of the related art generally inserts an advertisement between contents by time division in a channel providing an actual program (contents) so as to distribute the advertisement. This can be said to be a means used since there is no channel exclusively for advertisements and therefore the only method for sending advertisements to viewers has been forced insertion of advertisements between contents.
On the other hand, in a general communication system of the related art, the only broadcast information has been broadcasts of control information for securing communication paths. There has been no means of simultaneously distributing information to users.
For example, in a cellular wireless communication system, a broadcast control channel (BCCH) is used for broadcasts to terminals, but the content of the information transmitted by the broadcast control channel (BCCH) consists only of control information of system environment etc. Information directly relating to users is not transmitted.
Also, in the cellular wireless communication system of the related art and almost all other communication systems, there is no defined user information channel common for a plurality of terminals. Information is transferred in units of terminals in a traffic channel (TCH) giving access rights to a specific terminal.
There is demand for simultaneously distributing for example advertisements and other information to cellular phones and other terminals of cellular wireless communication systems and to computers connected to a network. If it were possible to simultaneously distribute desired information to such communication terminals, this could be utilized as an effective advertisement medium and, furthermore, the users of the communication terminals could expect to receive information of a form different from that of ordinary communication and take advantage of a communication charging system set considering reception of advertisements, thereby enabling a wireless communication system to be more effectively used.
In the communication system of the related art, however, there is nothing like a package broadcast traffic channel for users of all terminals defined. The channel configuration does not even allow any experiments for efficient distribution of advertisements.
Further, broadcast systems broadcast advertisements, but there is no channel provided exclusively for advertisements. Therefore, the only way to distribute advertisements is to temporarily suspend transmission of information content on the physical channel transmitting the information contents and insert them time-wise. This cannot be applied immediately to communication systems.
Namely, the general communication systems of the related art have not been able to distribute information such as advertisements. No such attempts have been made either.
Specifically, immediately after turning on for example a communication terminal, a computer, etc., there is certain waiting time before the environment is set up. This period is perfect for displaying advertisements to users. There have been requests for displaying advertisements during this time, however, the contents displayed during this time are usually always fixed. Advertisements and other information are not being displayed.
Also, when for example browsing the web, there is a waiting time while information is being downloaded. This time can be also considered a perfect time for displaying advertisement in the same way, but there is no system displaying advertisements using this time.
An object of the present invention is to provide a communication system capable of broadcasting desired advertisements and other information to a large number of unspecified terminals.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a communication terminal, to be used in such a communication system, capable of receiving broadcasted information and suitably displaying it to the user.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an information distribution apparatus capable of broadcasting for example advertisements and other desired information to a large number of unspecified terminals.
Therefore, a communication system of a present invention comprises a host system, a plurality of terminals, a communication channel for communicating between said host system and said terminal and between said plurality of terminals, and a distribution channel for broadcasting a signal having a content from said host system to said plurality of terminals.
Preferably, the communication system of the present invention further comprises a control channel for transferring information regarding predetermined control processing for suitable communication between said host system and said plurality of terminals.
Further preferably, said host system comprises a server apparatus for storing a information and transmitting in accordance with requests from said terminals the requested information to the terminal and said plurality of terminals substantially use said distributed signal including a content at least while waiting for transmission of said requested information from said server apparatus.
Further preferably, said plurality of terminals notify said host system of information regarding usage of said distributed signal when substantially using a signal distributed via said distribution channel.
Specifically, a plurality of types of signals each including a content are multiplexed and broadcasted over said distribution channel.
Further specifically, said communication system comprises a cellular wireless communication system, said plurality of terminals comprise cellular wireless communication terminals, said host system comprises a base station, and said base station and said cellular wireless communication terminals are connected by a plurality of channels including a control channel for transferring information for predetermined control processing, a communication channel for communication between said cellular wireless communication terminals, and a distribution channel for broadcasting a signal each including a content to said cellular wireless communication terminals.
Further a communication terminal of the present invention is a terminal for use in a communication system comprising a host system and a plurality of terminals connected said host system, comprising a channel means connected to said host system and including a first channel for desired communication and a second channel for distribution of a signal including a content to be broadcast, a receiving means for receiving said signal including a content via said second channel, a storage means for storing said received signal including a content, an output means for outputting a signal in a predetermined form, and a control means for making said output means output said signal stored in said storage means in a predetermined period.
Preferably, said control means makes said output means output said signal stored in said storage means while the communication terminal is processing and waiting for a new operation.
Further preferably, said control means makes said output means output said signal stored in said storage means while the communication terminal is waiting to receive a information by a communication via said first channel.
Further preferably, said communication terminal has an off state, a stand-by state, and an active state, and said receiving means receives said distributed signal including a content when the communication terminal is in a stand-by state.
Further preferably, the communication terminal of the present invention further comprises an output notification means for notifying information regarding usage of said distributed signal to said host system when said distributed signal is output from said output means.
Specifically, said distributed signal comprises a signal obtained by multiplexing a plurality of types of signals each including a content and said receiving means demultiplexes said multiplexed plurality of signals and selects a signal by a predetermined method.
Further specifically, said communication terminals comprises cellular wireless communication terminals.
Further, an information distribution apparatus of the present invention a communication channel for desired communication between said plurality of terminals, a distribution channel for broadcasting a signal including a content to said plurality of terminals, a distribution means for broadcasting said signal to said plurality of terminals via said distribution channel, a receiving means for receiving information, regarding a state of use of said signal distributed via said distribution channel, transmitted from said terminals, and a processing means for predetermined processing based on said information regarding the state of use of said received signal.
Specifically, said distribution means multiplexes and broadcasts a plurality of types of signals each including a content.
Further specifically, said signal comprises a signal including advertising information, and said processing means carries out processing for totaling up the state of viewing of said advertising information at said terminals.
Further specifically, said signal comprises a signal including advertising information, and said processing means carries out processing for totaling up the state of viewing for each said advertising information.